This tutorial will show you how to add or remove "Show more options" on the context menu, or enable or disable having to click on "Show more options" to see the full classic context menu for your account or all users in Windows 11.
When you right click on an item in Windows 11, you will see a new modern condensed context menu with Show more options (Shift+F10) at the bottom you have to click on to see all available options.
If you use the context menu a lot, then you will most likely find having to click on Show more options annoying anytime you need more options.
Pressing the Shift + F10 keys while having something selected will open the "Show more options" context menu for that item.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22572, you can now also press Shift + right click in File Explorer and the Desktop to be the same as click/tap on the “Show more options” context menu item.
If you like, you can disable this condensed Show more options context menu to always have it open too see the full context menu again when you right click on an item.
Reference:
File Explorer in Windows | Microsoft Support
Find and open File Explorer in Windows, and customize Quick access by pinning and removing files and folders.
support.microsoft.com
Contents
- Option One: Add or Remove "Show more options" on Modern Context Menu for Current User in Settings
- Option Two: Add or Remove "Show more options" on Modern Context Menu for Current User using REG file
- Option Three: Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for Current User using REG file
- Option Four: Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for Current User using Command
- Option Five: Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for All Users in Registry Editor
EXAMPLE: "Show more options" context menu enabled and disabled
This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26200.9818 (25H2) and build 26300.9818 (26H2).
This option will only add or remove "Show more options" on the modern context menu. You can still use Shift + Right click to open the classic context menu if you remove "Show more options".
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Personalization in the left pane, and click/tap on Context menu. (see screenshot below)
3 Under Advanced options, turn On (add) or Off (remove - default) Show more options for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26200.9818 (25H2) and build 26300.9818 (26H2).
This option will only add or remove "Show more options" on the modern context menu. You can still use Shift + Right click to open the classic context menu if you remove "Show more options".
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you want.
2. Add "Show more options" on Modern Context Menu for Current User
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Show_more_options_context_menu_for_current_user.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ContextMenu\Preferences\ShowMore]
"Enabled"=dword:00000001 3. Remove "Show more options" on Modern Context Menu for Current User
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Show_more_options_context_menu_for_current_user.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ContextMenu\Preferences\ShowMore]
"Enabled"=dword:000000004 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for Current User using REG file
This option will enable or disable the modern context menu to always show the classic context menu if disabled.
This option appears to no longer work starting with Windows 11 Insider build 26340.9577.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2 Enable "Show more options" to Restore Modern context menu for Current User
This is the default setting to show the modern context menu with "Show more options" at the bottom.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Show_more_options_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}]3 Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for Current User
This will disable the modern context menu to always show the classic context menu.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Show_more_options_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32]
@=""4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You may need to either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
9 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for Current User using Command
This option will enable or disable the modern context menu to always show the classic context menu if disabled.
This option appears to no longer work starting with Windows 11 Insider build 26340.9577.
1 Open Windows Terminal, and select Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.
2 Copy and paste the command below you want into Windows Terminal, and press Enter.
(Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu)
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /veOR
(Enable "Show more options" to Restore Modern context menu)
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f3 Close Windows Terminal.
4 You may need to either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for All Users in Registry Editor
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
This option will enable or disable the modern context menu to always show the classic context menu if disabled.
This option appears to no longer work starting with Windows 11 Insider build 26340.9577.
1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}
3 If you have not already, you will need to first change the owner of the {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} registry key in the left pane to be the Administrators group, check the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10
How to Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10 and Windows 11
www.tenforums.com
4 If you have not already, you will need to second set permissions of the {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} registry key in the left pane to "Allow" the Administrators group "Full control". (see screenshot below)
Change Permissions of Objects for Users and Groups in Windows 10
Change Permissions of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key for Users and Groups in Windows 10
www.tenforums.com
5 You can now close Registry Editor.
6 Do step 7 (enable) or step 8 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
7 Enable "Show more options" to Restore Modern context menu for All Users
This is the default setting to allow using Option Three and Option Four.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 9 below.
Enable_Show_more_options_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}]
@="File Explorer Context Menu"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InProcServer32]
@="C:\\Windows\\System32\\Windows.UI.FileExplorer.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"8 Disable "Show more options" to Restore Classic context menu for All Users
This will override Option Three and Option Four.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 9 below.
Disable_Show_more_options_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}]
@="File Explorer Context Menu"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InProcServer32]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InProcServer32]
@=""9 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
10 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
11 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
12 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
13 You may need to either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
14 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
